Flatiron



July 5, 1927. 1,634,431

' J. w. mares FLAIIRON I 5 sheots sheet 1 Filed Jan. 8. 1925 I If INVEN TOR.

BY W

A TTORNEY.

3 smwmm 2 WC) Ly INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

J. W. MYERS FLATIRON Filed Jan.8. 1925.

J ly 5, 1927.

M M Mw M l U 1,634,431 J y 1927' J. w. MYERS- FLATIRON med Jan.8', 1925 s sham-shut INVENTOR.

A TTORNE Y.

Patented July-15;5, 1 927.

; fUNlTED "STATES PATENT OFFI JOSEPH MYERS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR, BYMJIREOT AND MESNE A8- SIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-THIRD TO JOSEPH H. MYERS, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN ONI- THIRD TO ARTHUR J. TUTTIJE, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN; AND ONE-THIRD W. MYERS AND JOSEPH W. MYERS, BOTH. OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

TO AGNES rni'rraon.

Application filed January 8, 1925. Serial No. 1,186.

My invention relates to automatically regulated electric heaters, anda special ob-- ject of my improvements is to provide a flatiron that is inexpensive to manufacture,

rugged and durable in construction, economi- A 'or has just been brought to-its-.;worki11g temfparatus of Figure 3 I c Fig. 5, is a detail plan view, to an enlarged .scale, of a portion of the handle and cover "so the adjusting knob and spindle. 4

perature from a cold start.

drawings in which:-

Figure 1, is a central longitudinal section of a flatiron embodying my invention.

Fig. 2, is a plan view of the same, the uppart of the cover with attached parts per eing broken away.

Fig. 3', is a; plan view of the heating ele ment, and temperature regulating apparatus attached thereto.-

)Fig. 4, is an inverted plan view of the apand the temperature indicating and adjusting device located at this place.

Fig. 6, is an inverted perspective view of Fig. 7, is a perspective view of the temperaiture indicating pointer.

ig. 8, is a sectional viewv similar to Figure 1, to an enlarged scale, portions being omitted, or broken away, toec'onomize room,

thesection being taken in the planeindicated by the line, VIII. VIII. Figure 2.

Fig. 9, is a section on the line, IX., IX.,

, Fig. 8, some of the parts being shown in a.

difl'erent position from that of Fig. L

a, is the metal base, or smoothing 'plate. This is provided with a cavity, a, extending inward from its upper surface near the center thereof. a

b, is the top plate. This is of the approximatelv triangular shape of the lower plate,

lies a ove. the same and is secured thereto by bolts'ztbyab, ab. The upper surfacev of' the plate B-inclines downward from a line a little beyond a central transverse line to I the larger end as indicated at b, andi's .cut

v face of the cover. I'attain these and other advantages in the- ,apparatus illustrated in theaccompanying away centrally-at this end forming the slot,

I), with its lower edge resting upon the sur-' face of the. plate, a.

d, is the handle having ahorizontal lower bail by which it is secured to the cover, a, by a bolt, 0d, and to the top plate bd. The last named bolt also secures'the cover, a, in place upon the irone, e, are spacing washers interposed between the lower hail of the handle and the upper surf, is an index late secured upon the upper surface of t e lower hail of the handle by the bolts, 6d and 0d.

9, is a spindle extending vertically through coaxial apertures in the index late, f,'the lower, .bail of'the handle, d, an the cover a, and" provided at its upper end with a molded 'thumb piece, It, by which said spindle may be rotated. it, is a notch formed in the thumb piece K, at its lower end, (Figs. 1 and 6). j is a pointer struck out of a sheet .of metal having an aperture,

j, therethrough, for'the' reception of thespindle g, and having a lug, 7, at its rear end, turned upzfrom the metal from which it is formed adapted to engage in the notch,

The method of assembling the parts just described is as follows :1

The pointer, j, is first threaded upon the:

spindle, g, the In j, en agin inthe notch, h. The washerj w, is ghen t rea'ded upon the spindle and then the spring, a'. The end of the spindle g, is now passed through the aperture in the bail of the handle, (1,- the the washer, w, engaging therein. The tubular extension, do, is now engaged over the end of the spin e, g, and pressed onward, compressing the spring, as, and the cotter pm,

6, by a bolt,

spring w passing through said aperture and g, is then forced through the holes prepared for it, securing all the parts together. This brings the end of the pointer, j, into position to pass over the scale, H. L., on the index plate, f.

The heating element, and its controlling apparatus, constitute a unitary structure which may be handled separately, and that may be easily removedfor repairs and replaced, or another similar structure substituted. It is described as follows m, is an upper, and m a lower, mica plate having the shape of the'plates, a and b, and cut away in part to correspond to the lower cavity. a in the plate, a,

m is an electric heating element interposed between the mica plates, m and m at, is a sheet metal plate turned over at its edges, as shown at n n Fi 9, to strengthen and stifien the same, an provided with an opening at its center.

The plate, n, is secured to the mica plates, m and m with the heating element between them and extends along the bottom surface of the plate, m adjacent to the central opening therein. 9, is a bimetallic strip secured at one end by the bolt, *1, to the plates, m, m and n, and constituting a thermostatic arm adapted to bend upward anddownward as its temperature changes, its free end travelling in the slots 6 a and openings through the plates, m, m, and 92., is a flexible strip of a material that is a good conductor of electricity, such as brass, secured at one end by the bolt, 1', and at the other end connecting with the outer end of the arm, g. (1 is a contact point at the outer end of the arm, 9.

s, is an elastic arm secured at one end by the bolt, 0 at the outer surface of the plate, m, and extending above the arm 9. s is a contact point on the arm, 8, adapted to coact with the contact point, 9 The arm, .9, rises up and is prolonged in the extension, s beyond the contact point, 8

The plate, 0, extends upward to form the lugs, n n upon each side of its central opening.

25, is a lever extending on both sides of the lever, s, and pivoted at F, in the upper ends of the lugs, n n. t is a roller of insulating material upon the end of the lever, 6, under the extension, 8 of the lever, s. The other end 6 of the lever, 25, engages under the disc, 9 and the turning of said disc by the thumb piece, h, and spindle, g,

oscillates said lever about its pivots, t F,

to adjust the roller, i to different positions vertically.

The plate, 11, is bent upward at n and then backward at M, and then again upward at 12. The cover, 0, is cut away to provide an opening just above the part, a of the plate, n. and n is so located that it will prevent the part, a, being bent downward by hitting against the edge of the opening through the cover.

32 p", are two binding posts secured to, but insulated from, the portion, a", of the plate, n, and extending through the opening in the cover. 9, is a conductor secured at one end to one of the binding posts, 72 and connecting with one end of the heating strip, m The other end 10 of the heating strip, miis clamped between the strip, 9 and the plate, m and is in electrical connection with said strip and with the bolt, 1'. g

The other of the binding posts, W, is connected by a leading-in strip, p, with the arm clamped between the end of said arm and the plate, m, by the nut, 1, on the bolt, 1", through insulating washers. The construction and arrangement being such as to insulate the arm, 3, from the bolt, '9".

It will be noted that the mica plates, m, m, carrying the heating strip between them,

the stiliening and supporting plate, a, and

the various levers secured thereto form a unit construction, that may be handled, and sold separately, and that it is only necessary to arrange said plates symmetrically between the plates, a and b, and secure the last named platestogether to assemble such unit into the iron.

The operation of the above described apparatus is as follows The connecting cord is placed upon the binding posts, p, p. The current then flows through the heating strip, m to strip, g bolt r, and arm g, to the contact point, 9 to the contact point, 8 through arm 8 and strip p and out through the other binding post, p.

'As the temperature rises the thermostatic arm, q, bends downward, the arm, 8, following it because of its elasticity until the extension, s strikes against the insulating roller, 25*, when the motion of the arm, .9, is thereby arrested and the further movement of the arm, q, carries the contact point, 9, away from the contact point, 8 and breaks the circuit through the heating element.

The point at which this break occurs can be selected by turning the disc, 9 by the thumb-piece, h, thus oscillating the lever, t, to bring the roller to any position desired vertically. When the iron cools down, of course the arm, 9, bends back and the cir- (Halli; is again completed through the points, 1,

The conducting strip, 9 is provided to convey a part of the current so that the thermostatic arm, 9, will not be heated by the current passing through it.

The plate, 6, is reduced in mass toward its larger end by slanting its upper surface downward at. b, and by slotting it out at I). so that this end of the iron shall heat as fast as the other and the temperature of s, the inner end of said strip being the arm, s,

gether to form an inte esa-131 the iron will be uniform and will be correctly re lated b the thermostat. a v

n manu acturing, the limits of temperature at which the thermostat functions can be regulated by bending the extension, 8 of up or down, as the circumstances ma requir l,

prepare the exposed surface of the plate, b, and cover, a, so that but little heat shall be radiated therefrom.

The shape of the heating 'element brings a greater relative le h of the conductor toward the point of t e iron, so that the iron is apt 'to'heat up fir'st, of to a higher temperature, at this point; to counteract this effect, I have reduced the mass of the plates toward their lar er end.

What I claim 1s: p 1. Inan apparatus of the kind described, the combination of a heating element, and a thermostatic regulator therefor, united toal structure adapted to be removed and rep aced as a unit.

'2. 'In an a paratus of the kind described,

the combination of a heating element, and a thermostatic regulator therefor, having a constituent element 'in commonso constructed and united as to form an integral structure that can be removed and replaced as a unit. I

3. In an apparatus of the kind described,

the combination of a heating unit structure,

and a structure forming a. regulator for the heating unit, the elements of the heatingunit' structure being clainped between elements of the regulator structure whereby the heating unit is strengthened and with'the regulator structure forms a unitary integral structure that is strong and 4. In an apparatus of be kind described,

the combination of a working plate, u, having a cavity extending its u per surface, a heating element located a ove said a plate, a thermostatic arm extending into said cavity, an am located above said heating i element and adapted to co-operate with said thermostatic arm, said'arms havin a common base to which the heating e ement is secured.

5. In an apparatus of the kind described, the-combination of a heating unit with two superimposed terminals, insulating means between said terminals, a thermostatic switch arm, carrying a contact, a second armcarrying'a coacting contact, and a single bolt binding said arms together, and one of said terminals to one of said arms and in its inner end, a. pointer having a lug turned up therefrom, said spindle engaging through an'aperture in said pointer, and said lug engaging in said cavity, and means away from it and interrupt the contact, said mcludingit's insulating sheets lying upon.

for holdin said imitate; in" engagement with said thum piece. 5

7. In an electrically heated flatiron having an automatic apparatus therein for regulatin its temperature, the combination of vfirst named arm toward said end thereof to make electrical contact therewith, and a lever carrying a stop at one end, said stop being located in the line of travel of the end of said second arm at one end and adapted to arrest the movement of said second arm to permit the first named arm to move lever extending at the other end into posiadapted to carry said stop to various posi tions to break said contact.

8. In an electrically heated flatiron, a flat heating element, a circuit controlling apparatus for. said element havin a base plate, said base plate being secure to said element and extending to the rear edge thereof and serving as a stne'n hening means for said element, and attaching lugs for electrical connections secured at the rear end of said element and to said late. I

9. In an electrically heated flatlron, 'ajflat heating element, a circuit: controlling apparatus for said element having a base late, said base plate being secured to sai element and extending to the-rear edge thereof I and serving said element.

10. In an electric iron, the combination of a. smoothing plate hollowed out from its up er surface toward its center, a heating unit including its insulating sheets lying upon the upper surface of saidplate and dlrectly in contact therewith, a plate secured to said unit within the .hollow of said smoothing plate and acting to stiffen said unit, and a thermostat secured to said stiff ening plate in the hollow-of said smoothing plate for the urpose described.

- 11. In an e ectriciron, the combination of a smoothing plate hollowed out from its up r surface toward its center, a heating unit as a strengthening means for the surface of said late and directly in co1'1- tact therewith, a p atesecured to said unit within the hollow of said smoothing plate and acting to stiffen said unit, a thermostat secured to said'stifieningplate in the hollow of said smoothing plate for the purpose described, and an upper plate lying upon said heating unit and clampingit in place against the smoothingplate.

12. In an electric iron,-the combination of a smoothing plate hollowed out from its upan ad usting device located ontop of and tion to be actuated by said device andbeing iao er surface toward its center, a heating unit Including its insulating sheets lyin upon the upper surface of said plate and directly in contact therewith, a plate secured to said unit within the hollow of said smoothing plate and acting to stiffen said unit, a thermostat secured to said stiffening plate in the hollow of said smoothing plate for the purose described, and a binding post for said eatin unit secured to said stifiening plate. 13. 11 an electric iron, a heating unit and a temperature regulator therefor employing a structural'element in common aside from their mutual electrical connections.

14. In an electric iron, a heating unitand a temperature regulator therefor so combined as to be structurally interdependent and to form a unitary structure removable as a whole whereby less parts are required g were each of said elements to be functionally complete when detached from the other.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

JOSEPH W. MYERS. 

